Thankful Day .

I truly believe that every day should be a day to

+ Not go to work

+ Be with family + friends

+ Take naps

+ Give thanks .

I do not know anyone who couldn't agree with that .

{ Source }

+ M Y L OV E LY B O Y

+ F A MI LY

+ FR I E ND S

+ OU R S W EE T H OM E

+ D EN VE R

+ WA RM WIN T ER S

+ THA N KS G IV IN G L AS T Y EAR

+ A CH AR LI E B RO WN TH A NKS GI VI N G

+ TW O F AMIL Y WE DD IN GS ON TH E WAY

+ A T RI P H OM E T O MN S OO N

+ T UR K EY

+ CU TT IN G D OW N A CH RI ST MAS T RE E

+ FIN ALL Y M AK IN G TH E P RE TZ E L S A LAD R I GHT

+ TH E CH R I ST MAS C OU NT D OW N

+ D RE SS E S

+ A F RE SH Y EA R AB OU T T O ST AR T

+ H O LI DAY HA N D M AD E N E XT WE E KE N D !

+ M Y BOY ' S S CH OO L IN G PRO C ESS U N D E R WAY . ON LY 6 Y RS . T O G O . AH

+ MY J OB

+ DA NC I N G

+ S ON G S TH AT G ET ME DA N CI N G .

+ T HIN GS T O IN S PI R E

+ P EOP L E TO IN S PI R E

+ MY G UI T AR BE IN G FI X E D

+ M Y J E SU S WH O S AV ED MY LI F E

There are so many more things to be thankful for , far beyond today ' s meal + nap + time with friends + family this weekend . Nonetheless , I am more than thankful for this life I have + the sweet lives around me . And , Thanksgiving photos to come soon . Love today . X O X O .

Let Go .

It ' s not nearly the easiest thing to let things in your life go .

It never has been .

But I am there now + some things need to be M O RE in my life + some things need to be LE S S .

Maybe not completely let go .

But this tight grip I am holding onto these things with must be loosened at the least .

{ Source }

Let the butterflies out of the jar . Beautiful things . Needing to be let go .

{ Source }

I cannot keep the juggling act . Some things will eventually fall .

{ Source }

So I will just let them slowly go instead .

{ Source }

Start getting my priorities right , today . Maintain some balance .

{ Source }

Letting go is not easy to do .

But , at the very least, there are beautiful photos to remind me to do this .

Bliss Once More .

Big news came last evening . My sweet sistah is E N G A G E D . Woo . Exciting news + I am already well into the wedding style search , since it is probably my favorite thing E V ER to plan + envision + dream up . And my Pinterest W EDD ED board is getting more + more full .

6 : O 5 pm

6 : 1 2 pm

6 : 2 8 pm

And what has happened to the last half hour after that ? Gosh . Pinterest has this way of having time move faster than ever + all I can do is sit , paralyzed in my seat , jaw dropped + mind reeling . My heart wants to do it all . Create it all . Bask in it all . There is far too much goodness in this world to take in , in one single night , however . So , welcome , my newest Pinterest board craving + congrats to sweet Allison Jane + Matthew . Bliss once more .

Li fe + Li b er ty + H app in ess .

{ S ou r c e }

November is Still Good For .

It certainly wasn't the month of N o v e m b e r in Minnesota if you could still pull out your old Schwinn , slip into a little old dress + cruise up + down your alley happily in the sun .

But here , N o v e m b e r is still good for just that .

N o v e m b e r is still good for admiring brass buttons

+ wearing sweet autumn colors .

N o v e m b e r is still good for my boy behind a camera .

Bringing out thoughtful smiles

+ a l o v e l y li f e .

N o v e m b e r is still certainly good for all that .

Holiday Show Time .

H e l l o T u e s d a y .

H e l l o h o l i d a y m a r k e t s .

S o s o o n .

K e e p i n m i n d :

Happening this weekend , downtown Louisville , is a Holiday Market , hosted by Fork , a social lab + event space for lovers of food , drink , camaraderie + life . Sounds great , right ?

There will be several artisans there with their work , including L OU , both

S AT U R DAY , November 1 2 from 1 1 AM - 6 PM

+

S UN DAY , November 1 3 from Noon - 4 PM

A portion of the proceeds from both days will be benefitting the Louisville Fire Department ' s 9 . 1 1 Memorial Fund .

There will also be complimentary gift wrapping for goods purchased at the market + $ 5 gift wrapping for everything else .

Talk about go . getters . I cannot imagine having gifts bought + wrapped before December 2 4 th . Not my strength . But it could be Y OU R S , so stop on by :)

S O many new goods to love from L OU . S O many .

And if you simply cannot make it up to Louisville , no need to fret , Holiday Handmade is here :

Put on by Denver ' s favorite :

F RI DA Y , December 2 from 5 PM - 1 O PM

+

S A TUR DAY , December 3 from 1 O AM - 4 PM

@ the Sherman Event Center , Downtown Denver

S O many incredible artists . You will not be able to leave this building without all of your gifts + once again , L OU will be there with brand new goods + designs for you to love . L OU will also be hosting a Holiday Giveaway at our booth , so stop by . X O XO Let the H O LI DA Y S begin :)

Just a Monday .

Days + weeks after reading + thinking + dreaming up V IS I ON S of my own visions + my own vision board , I finally have it begun . All it took was a few nails on the wall + a pile of papers I love , some white + brass tacks , and a V I SI ON . It really is only just the very beginning of the vision board I imagine . In fact , right now , it reminds me much more of a memory board I would have decoupaged together in middle school to hang on my bedroom wall .
I guess I could call it a memory board . All of these illustrations + words + pictures + magazine clippings + stickers + tags from the past , memories of times I ' ve loved .
But wouldn ' t you say that these very memories of the past really do direct our visions for the future ?
I do .
And with whatever definition of VI SI ON fits best , here I am , with my memories , just in the beginning stages of building my visions . My anticipations of what may come to be . A few closer glimpses at my memories gives way to these visions dancing in my head :

Memory = A blue footed booby of course . A spontaneous magazine clipping sent with a card from a sweet friend . One of the sweetest in fact .
Vision = Be random . Love endangered species . Especially those with a blue foot .
Memory = A postcard from a girl in China . I don ' t even know her , but her letter arrived in my mailbox one day : Postcrossing .
Vision = Send mail always . Travel . Learn from those you can around the world .
Memory = One of the most touching + inspiring women I know gave me this card . I love that she called me Lady Kayla . Her words melted me heart + her heart , though worn with the burden of physical sicknesses again + again , most spirited + joyful of all .
Vision = Say what you mean . Love on others . Be wise . Live life best , even when sicknesses are trying to take life from you .
Memory = Barbie calendar . One of those sweet childlike things on my wishlist last Christmas .
Vision = Keep loving what is old + glamorous + beautiful . Dress up . Wear H I GH heels .
Memory = What memory DON ' T I have from the Sound of Music ? My dog is named Liesl for a reason .
Vision = Keep singing + dancing on hillsides just like Julie Andrews . Visit the Sound of Music set in Austria someday .
Memory = A calendar I made , a couch I adored , and a perfect reminder to love sweet friends .
Vision = Don ' t wish away time + days . Find real friends . Always make room for a velvet floral davenport from years past .
Memory = I found this Polaroid photo next to the Polaroid cameras at a Goodwill . Someone had taken a photo of the shelf next to the cameras , then left the photo there with the camera . I didn't buy the camera , but I did swipe the photo . Love me a Polaroid .
Vision = Be spontaneous . Never stop clicking photos .
Memory = An old calling card I found at one of my favorite antique malls in Denver .
Vision = Be as classy as a Blanche L . Phillips must have been .
Memory = A lounge in the student hall of the college I went to . So many crazily sweet times + memories happened at Stout . And I ' m married to my boy because of it .
Vision = Reminisce + smile . Never forget your college days .
Memor(ies) = Friday Family Nights @ home with popcorn + a movie + slumber party on the fold out couch . Not to forget Saturday morning cartoons + pancakes .
A magazine spread titled " Little House on the Prairie " . Oh , how I use to love Laura Ingalls Wilder + oh , how I love these stylized wedding photos .
Vision = Make traditions . Renew our vows . Several times . Get into design + photography .
Memory = Crazy handwritten notes + doodles everywhere possible . A faded South Carolina palm tree sticker camouflaged on the BINGO board . Old man Bob ' s parents' restaurant + gas station in Fort Collins .
Vision = Keep writing in cursive , even if others cannot always read it . Live in the South + speak with a Southern accent . Do unto others .

Memory = Sketchbook Project . My sketchbook forever @ the Brooklyn Art Library in NY C . A photo postcard from a boy in Holland . Most unbelievably brilliant colors I ' ve seen .
Vision = See my sketchbook in person once more . Visit Holland .

H ELL O L OU .

Oh , hello . This very day I am looking for all who crave a life of :

D E SI GN + A R T + WH IM SY +

C RE A T I VI TY + H AN D M A DE .

Come + follow W H IM SY L OU .

Click on one or M AN Y of these L OU buttons below to join in .

Leave a comment on our WH IM SY L OU 's Facebook wall + be entered in a sweet follower giveaway . Deal ?

And tell a friend . Double entries for friend referrals . X O X O Happy Sunday .

Han d k er ch ie f K in d o f L o ve .

So here I am on a Thursday night . A little catch up with Katelyn of Ninth+Bird at City O' City , overlooking lovely Denver capitol lights . And here I am telling her of my plans to remarry my sweet boy in order to have another celebration of love , in a new style , new dress , new flowers , old friends + much fun .

I mean , really , I say , there are too many fabulous ideas + colors + styles to settle for only one wedding . And I really am , simply , promoting keeping the same groom - just a new look for a special day .

H m .

And then here I was , staring at a pile of vintage handkerchiefs I was given this summer up at Gramps + Grams place + dreaming up possibilities for them .

I am already using some of these hand stitched , old beauties to make some ruffled chain necklaces similar to those found H E RE :

I am also using some of them to make fabric strand earrings for family members who may enjoy a way to treasure these little family heirlooms in a different way .

And I have thought of using these gems to create a bedspread . Although I worry because the last two days I have returned home , my sweet pooch decided to start eating two different bedspreads . Thanks . { My latest Anthro project is now on questionable grounds } And I've seen the sweet cushions + pennants + banners + wall hangings + table runners . Which I adore :

1 . VINTAGE TABLE RUNNER . Already on my to-do list for the weekend .

But , I really , cannot explain the leaps + bounds my heart makes when I look at the way these vintage handkerchiefs are used in W EDD I N G S. Specifically wedding creations by Bird+Banner . Please take a look with me . You will swoon .

2 . W EDD IN G IN V I TE I

3 . W EDD IN G IN V I TE II

4 . W EDD IN G IN V I TE III

5 . BRI D E + G ROOM F AMIL Y B U TT ON S / VIN TA G E H ANK I E

6 . S PL ENDI D I LL U ST RAT ION .

7 . ST A CK S O F WA I TIN G H AN K I ES .

8 . W RAPP E D H A NK I E IN V I TES . G OR G E OUS .

9 . F RAM ED H A NK IE H EA DB OAR D /B ETT ER HO M ES+GA RD EN S

1 O . D I Y WE DD IN G LO V E NOT E H A N KI ES

Print your own H E R E + H E R E .

1 1 . W ILL Y OU B E IN OU R WE DD IN G ? M ES S AGE H A NK I ES

1 2 . VI N TA GE H ANK IE IN V ITE S

And so HE LL O next wedding ideas . I think I have ideas for our second , third , fourth + possibly fifth wedding renewals . Is that allowed ? And can you blame me after seeing the goodness that comes from Bird + Banner ? Whew . O h , the things I love .